Maria Sakkari vs Jessica Pegula Prediction & Betting Tips - Japan Open

Prediction published on 29/09/2023, 07:23  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 29/09/2023 at 18:40 in Tennis Predictions

We're in for a great match in the semi-finals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open. Fourth seeded Maria Sakkari takes on the second seed Jessica Pegula. The winner of this match will be up against either eighth seed Veronika Kudermetova (who beat Iga Swiatek in the last eight) or unseeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the final. Sakkari is in top form having won the title in Guadalajara last weekend. That's taken her to sxth in the rankings and will stay in that position even if winning this match. More important at present is qualifying for the end-of-season Tour Finals. Sakkari is ninth on that list but needs a top eigtht finish but has 365 points to make up on Ons Jabeur. The 28-year-old is in fine form though and has now won her last seven matches and not dropped a set in any of them. In the quarter final of this tournament, the Greek player beat fifth seed Caroline Garcia, only losing four games. Only eight games have been dropped by her in two matches played this week.

Jessica Pegula is bidding to reach her second final in successive months. The American won a WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal in August, only the third singles title of her career, despite being ranked fourth in the world. Pegula has never won two singles titles in a year but is also in good form at present. Two matches have been played in Tokyo this week and just four games won by her opponents. In the last eight, the 29-year-old faced sixth seeded Daria Kasatkinia and only lost one game. Winning this match will confirm her place in the Tour Finals. Pegula trails Sakkari 5-3 in previous meetings. Four of the losses have come on hard courts but both the matches played in 2023 have been won by Pegula. We go for the American to get a hard fought win here.